Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Philippe Vapelle Cranesbill bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Philippe Vapelle Cranesbill, Philippe Vapelle Geranium (Geranium 'Philippe Vapelle').
More about philippe vapelle cranesbill
About Philippe Vapelle Cranesbill
Geranium 'Philippe Vapelle' · also called Philippe Vapelle Cranesbill, Philippe Vapelle Geranium · flowering
Geranium 'Philippe Vapelle' is a hybrid of G. renardii and G. platypetalum raised by Alan Bremner at Axletree Nursery in Scotland, forming a neat clump of attractive blue-grey, softly hairy, finely wrinkled lobed leaves. Blue-violet flowers with strongly dark-veined petals open in summer above the textured foliage. The single most important care fact is to provide a sunny, well-drained position — the renardii parent demands good drainage and dislikes poorly drained winter soils. The ASPCA 'Geranium' toxic listing refers to Pelargonium, not true cranesbills; true Geranium is not individually confirmed non-toxic, so treat with caution around pets.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons philippe vapelle cranesbill isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming philippe vapelle cranesbill traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:
- Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
- Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
- The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
- Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
- It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.
Feeding philippe vapelle cranesbill a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
The fix — how to get philippe vapelle cranesbill to flower
- Maximise sun. Give philippe vapelle cranesbill the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
- Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
- Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
- Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.
Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for philippe vapelle cranesbill and get the feeding right with the philippe vapelle cranesbill fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.
Bloom season and what to expect
Philippe Vapelle Cranesbill flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
Post-bloom care so it flowers again
Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.
For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full philippe vapelle cranesbill care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Philippe Vapelle Cranesbill blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my philippe vapelle cranesbill flower?
Philippe Vapelle Cranesbill blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
How do I make philippe vapelle cranesbill bloom?
Give philippe vapelle cranesbill the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
When does philippe vapelle cranesbill normally bloom?
Philippe Vapelle Cranesbill flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with philippe vapelle cranesbill after it flowers?
Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping philippe vapelle cranesbill flowering?
Feeding philippe vapelle cranesbill a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Philippe Vapelle Cranesbill care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Philippe Vapelle Cranesbill light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Philippe Vapelle Cranesbill fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 4114 bloom guides in the Growli library